Impboyement in suefaoe condensers



'02- 4MM I lNPETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPMER, WASHINGTON. D C.

@witch tstrs @anni @ffice- IMPROVEMENT IN SURFACE GONDENSERS.

FREDERICK ORTLIEB, lOF WILLIAMSBURG, NEW YRK,

Letters .Patent No. 60,042, dated November 27, 1866.

SPECIFICATION.

T0 ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN; p i

Be it known that I, FREDERICK OBTLIEB, of Williamsburg, in the county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Surface Condensers for `Steam Engines, of which, the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification, and in which-ai Figure lV represents an outside elevation of a condenser constructed according to my invention.

Figure 2, a plan of the same. n i t f p L Figure 3, a vertical section thereof, taken as indicated by the line z z in iig. 2 and Figure 4, a horizontal section'at the line y y in fig. 1.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures. p p p y My invention relates to surface condenser-s, the advantages of which in steam engines are well known. It however has more immediate reference to that description of surface condensers which use air and water cpmbined. In such condensers it has before-been proposed, by means of a blower at top, to pass air around the pipes which conduct the water into the air chamber of the condenser. Such condensers, too, Vhave been made double, with a centre pipe, and'tubes surrounding it, to act in combination with a wire-gauze top, and chamber beneath, and furthermore, with an air chamber or column, provided with valves above and below, working in opposite directions, to discharge alternately any escaping air. `l3nt in such previous construction `and inode,V of operation practice has demonstrated that, among other defects, instead oflthe spray action which it was designed to give the water within the tubes, the water and air have been so brought in contact within the central pipe, they being first forced` downward together into a lower receiving chamber, that from thence, instead of the blast distributing the water as purposed, the water, by its superior density, collected in the lower receiving chamber, and in course of time filled not only the central pipe `but also the surrounding `tubes, to the exclusion of .air and all spray action within the tubes. Another conspicuous defect was the ,arrangement` of a check-valve `in reversed position near the foot-.of the air column, thereby preventing the escape of heated air and other gases which, in telling upon the condenser, detracted from the power of the engine` To obviate these and other defects is the object of my invention, lwhich consists, rstly, in a direct downward application of the watermin a spray or mist and air combined witliin the tubes that effect surface condensation, by employing a perforated pipe, or, preferably, series of such, within a chamber at the top, in combination with an exterior blow-pipe,

provided with tuyeres or nozzles opening into said chamber, and serving to make the` blast act upon the water as it issues in a spray from the perforated pipes, and causes the air and water to be projected through a reticulated surface or screen-the water by its subdivision in the shape of mist-fdirect downwardly withinrthe tubes. And my invention furtherconsists in the use of a deliverypipe, in direct communication with the waterreceivingchamber at the bottom of the tubes and passing downwards through a stuiing-box, to provide for the general expansion of the interior portion of the condenser,'which, by this construction, is suspended from above. Likewise my invention consists in the arrangement of a double bottom to the condenser, provided with openings lcommunicating with an exterior hollow jacket, and having attached to it a circulating water-pipe, for action in combination with a spray supply to the condenser at top, said hollow basealso serving to sti'en` the bottom of the condenser. And my invention finally` consists in the application of one or more automa-tic valves, communicating by pipe with the condenser through its upper tube sheet', to allow of the discharge of heated air and accumulated gases, and to afford relief at commencement of the blowers action. f i i p v For the information of others whom itmay concern, I will ,now proceed to describe my invention, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which- Y v A represents the outer and a the inner shell of the condenser, leaving. a'water space, A', between them, i

and which is shown as open at the top, where it communicates with a chamber H, and by openings J, with a hollow base, B', made up of inner and outer plates B 5. C is the top or crown plate of the condenser. These and other parts are firmly united in the usual manner by angle-irons, bolts, and rivets, and the whole structure made to rest on pedestals, or otherwise suitably supported. D is the upper tube sheet, which has mountedon it a ring, d, of angle-iron, and between which and angle-iron surrounding Vthe upper part of `the shell a said tube sheet is bolted and made to form an air-tight joint. Upon the ring d is arranged a4 screen, S.4 E is the lower tube sheet, similarly .or otherwise suitably secured and supported, b'iutnofless diameter than the linner shell a of the outer water jacket. O is a central discharge air-pipe, extending by sectional construction from v the lower tube sheet E up through the body of the condenser, screen S, and crown sheet C, where it may be provided with a valve v. t are the tubes connecting the upper and lower sheets D' and E. These tubes tand that portion of the centrallair-pipe O which they surround, andwhich, by the connection of its extension vth the crown sheet, assists in supporting the tubes and receiving chamber F, are of a homogeneous nature, so as to expand and contract alike, thereby obviatingi undue strain or derangement. To the lower tube sheet E, and below it, is secured by surrounding angle-iron and rivets or bolts,`also bystiii'eningor stay-bolts G, a receivingchamber F, which has an opening in its bottom at the centre that is provided on the outside with a circular ange, g, rivetted to said chamber, and that has screwed into it a downward or outboard delivery pipe, X. This delivery pipe is extended to pass through a sleeve, 2:, in the hollow base B', and" through a stuiiing-box Deonnected therewith, and is provided with a regulating valve, V, tol adjust the discharge of water from said pipe. By this construction and arrangement the tubular body of the condensenyQwith the portion ofthe air discharge pipe O passing therethrough, receiving chamber F, and water delivery pipe X, are all, as it were, suspended from above, and, by means of the stuiiing-box W, every facility given in a straight line or course for that contraction and'expansion of the tubular body which is so apt to strain and injure these parts; or disturb their joints and impair the vacuum in the condenser, M is a flanged pipe or sleeve, vfitted within the vwater jacket A preferably near the top of the condenser, and through which the exhaust steam is admitted to the condenser, from whence, when condensed, it escapes by a ilanged pipe or sleeve, M', in or through the base B. By thus introducing the steam above and'allowing it to escape below, or so keeping at a distance apart the inlet and i outlet, the pumps for returning the condensed steam toV theboiler are prevented from being filled with steam to `interfere with their operation. In the upper chamber vI-I arejarranged any number or seriesof circular perforated pipes P, through which water Hows from a. supply pipe K, provided with a regulating cock k.: The water is sprinkled or scattered as spray or rain from these perforated pipes P on to the screen S, and is projected therethrough and into the tubes t by air issuing from a series of nozzles or tuyeres T .opening into the upper chamber, H, and which are connected witha circular pipe z that has air blown into it from a main pipe U by a fan or other suitable blower. The water or spray thus 'projected by the blast through the Serben S is subdivided or made to form a sort of mist, having air combined with it, and, entering the tubes t with. force .in -adowm wardly direction, moistenstheir inside surfaces as eifectually as if the tubes were iilled with water, This mist, afterbeingdriven through the tubes, falls into the receiving chamber F, where its watery particles, then partia-lly heated by the action of `the exhaust steam on the outsides of the tubes, will settle at the bottom and escape down the delivery pipe'X, while the heated air contained in it will naturally ascend and pass off up the discharge pipe O. l- Thus it will be seen4 that choking of the tubes with water, as in previous hydro-atmospheric condensers,islalvoided. YN is an outside circulating pipe, provided with a regulating cock n, and connecting the hollow base B with an outside water supply, say with the-main pipe K. This pipe, by its cock n, serves to circulate, 'in an adjustable manner, water, first through the hollow base B', from thence through the openings J, and upward through the water jacket A', until reaching the top of the angle-iron d, where it overiiows" on to the screenand passingor being projected through which,` it descends by the tubes into the receiving chamber F, and finally escapes by the delivery pipe X. In this way may a constant circulation, at a uniform temperature, be kept up throughout the whole envelope of the condenser, and such, acting'in' concert with :the 'spray supply at the top and through the'tubes, combines to. make most edective the condenser generally. Projecting from the upper tube sheet D, :and communicating with the inside of the' condenser, is an automatic valve Q, or there may be more of such'pipes and valves, the object of which isto prevent back Press-lure" in the condenser, arising either fromthe expansion of air or accumulation of gases,.and one important oiiice of which is to give relief while starting the engine and before the blowerhas attained its full effective'force or. speed.` Y

By this, myim-proved hydro-atmospheric condenser, high-pressure enginesnmay'be converted into condens# ing ones in localities jwhere there is a scareityof water, air being effectually used in connection with the water. The steam maybe condensed by it vinto hotwater. at a temperature of 180, and without`using much if any more water than would otherwise be necessary to supplyfthe boiler of such high-pressure' engine. The condensed steam or hot water maybe passed through a super-heaterbefore returning it. to the boiler, and by establishing but a partial vacuum', the usual cumbersome air and' circulating pumps are considerably reduced without aii`ecting or destroying the beneiiciai eEect'of -surfacecondensation in keeping up a 'regular supply of distilled feed water, to the preservationand safety of the biler,fand, if properly applied, economizing both power and fuel.

Having thus described my invention, andi-inasmuch as there is some similarity in its `general construct-ion and function to that of J. P. F. l,)atrichy, patented August 30, 1864, I hereby 'disclaim thatparticular invention.

What I claimlvas my invention', and desire'. tosecure by Letters Patent, is as follows: v

1. In hydro-atmospheric condensers, I claim the use of air and water combined, when the same is introduced to the body of the condenser in the form of spray or mist injected directly downwards, in contradistinction to an upward injection throughthe condensing tubes which form said body, substa'ntially as specified.

2. The combination of the condensing 'tubes t, air discharge pipe 0, and receiving chamber F, with its delivery pipe X', said pipes O and X being arranged so as to effectually separate the air and Water after the same have been` injected or passed through the tubes, essentially as herein set forth.

3. The combination of the upper chamber H, blast nozzles or tuyeres T, perforated pipe or pipes P, and screens, with the condensing tubes t, arranged for action together, substantially as specied. v

4. The receiving chamber F, with its delivery pipe X, arranged to pass through a stuiiing-box W, in combination with the tubes t and air pipe O, suspended from above, essentially as and for the purpose or purposes hereinset forth.

5. The combination, with devices, for producing spray action of air and water combined at the top of the condenser, and downwardly through the tubes hereof, of a water base B', hollow jacket A, and circulating pipe f7 N,` substantially as specied.

6.-111 combination with a. surface condensernth'e arrangement, at or near the top thereof, of one or more F` automatic relief or escape valves Q, operating essentially as shown and described. i

\ .F RED. ORTLIEB.

Witnesses:

v J. W. CooMBs,

G. W. REED` 

